You Can't Lose Me
by piper maru duchovny
Summary: Mothers & Daughters are the best of friends and the worst of enemies, but they are the constants. -It's Lucy's 18th birthday and Lindsay's a little sad.


**You Can't Lose Me**

**Summary: Mothers & Daughters are the best of friends and the worst of enemies, but they are the constants. **

**A/N: My eighteenth birthday is next month and my mom is my best friend and so that really inspired this fic. :)**

**Dedication: Marcia Lynn Carter, my mother, my best friend, my Lorelai. You can't lose me. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

Wherever you go  
No matter how far  
My love is where you are  
You won't be lost if you believe  
No, you can't lose me  
-Faith Hill;

Lindsay Monroe-Messer opened the door of her daughter's room, it creeked softly in the early morning light. Lucy Montana Messer was burrowed under the covers on her bed, her blond curls peaking out from under her blanket and her right foot hanging over the edge of the bed. Lindsay sat down on the edge of the bed and smooth Lucy's hair.

"Mom." Lucy groaned and rolled over.

"Happy Birthday, Baby." Lindsay smiled at her daughter, how had eighteen years flown by so fast?

"What time is it?" Lucy groaned, scooting over against her wall and tugging on Lindsay's shirt sleeve. Lindsay lay down on the bed next to her daughter and smiled.

"Early." Lindsay kissed her head, "How'd eighteen years go by so fast?"

"It's too early for mush." Lucy flopped her arm over her face.

Lindsay chuckled, "I love you."

"I love you too." Lucy sighed.

"How does it feel to be eighteen?" She asked, playing with Lucy's hair.

"Old." Lucy smiled and leaned against her mother, "How do I look?"

"Ancient." Lindsay teased.

"Mom!" Lucy wacked her shoulder, "I'm going back to sleep now."

"No you're not. C'mon, you and me and breakfast." Lindsay tossed back the covers, "You can come home and go back to bed, deal?"

"Fine." Lucy growled.

"Glad to know that some things never change, no matter how old you get." Lindsay kissed her forehead and smoothed her hair, "I'll wait for you in the living room."

Lindsay got off the bed while Lucy mumbled something about her hate for the early morning tradition. Lindsay bit her lip and shook her head, making her way through the dark house to the living room. She turned on the light on the table and looked around her home. There was some mail on the table and she flipped through it; more college letters for Lucy, a few bills, and a reminder from her school that they needed to purchase her graduation gown and cap. Lindsay sniffled involuntarily and hugged herself.

Lucy was growing up so fast. Lindsay padded across the carpeted floor to the mantle and smiled at the pictures that were lined up. Lucy's first day of school, holding her baby brother, riding the motorcycle with Danny, birthday parties, pictures with her extended family. In a four foot space, Lucy's entire life was chronologically ordered. On the far end sat the picture of the baby they had brought home and on the other was her senior portrait.

Danny always said he wished that Lucy was still the little girl who thought he hung the moon, but not Lindsay. With each age, another aspect of Lucy unfolded and made her more of who she was today and Lindsay loved who her daughter was. Lucy was strong and independent, funny and caring, everything Lindsay had ever wanted in a daughter and so much more.

"Mom.." Lucy came up behind her, "Are you okay?"

Lindsay sniffled and nodded, "I can't believe your graduating soon and then you'll be leaving for college. You're an adult today Luce."

"I think I've been pretty adult for a long time." Lucy smiled.

"That's true." Lindsay turned and hugged her daughter.

"I love you Mom, please don't cry." Lucy rubbed her mother's back, "Let's go to breakfast and then go shopping and charge it all on Daddy's card and for today, just be us."

"You got a deal, Baby." Lindsay extended her pinkie finger and Lucy linked hers with her mothers and they shook.

"I think we need pancakes. With lots of chocolate and syrup and whip cream. And a side of bacon. And coffee." Lucy linked arms with Lindsay and pulled her through the house and to the car.

"And then we'll check ourselves into the hospital with diabetic comas." Lindsay laughed.

That evening there'd be a party with Danny's family, friends from the lab, Lucy's best friend and boyfriend would be there too. Mornings belonged to the mother and daughter pair though, it was tradition. Every year on Lucy's birthday, they awoke insanely early and headed into Manhattan for a day of shopping and eating and charging it all to Danny's credit card.

Lucy's little brother would wake up in a few hours and call them to wish his big sister happy birthday and then would sack out in front of the TV with Danny and watch cartoons all day.

Lucy Montana Messer was the perfect storm of Lindsay and Danny. Her blond hair held Lindsay's curls and her blue eyes had flecks of golden brown. She was all legs and Lindsay compared her to a filly -wild and ready to run once the gates opened. She played baseball and listened to country music. She planned on going to college in Montana and becoming a CSI. Her parents were overwhelmingly proud of who she had grown up to be.

The car ride into the city was oddly silent and Lucy flipped on the radio to fill the void as her head rested against the window. Carrie Underwood's 'Don't Forget To Remember Me' came on and Lucy hit the scan button as fast as she could.

"Baby, you can avoid it all you want to, but it's happening." Lindsay smiled at her.

"Is it too late to move to Neverland?" Lucy crossed her arms and pouted.

"Afraid so."

"Damn." Lucy cursed.

"Lucy Montana, language." Lindsay scolded.

"Sorry, Mama." Lucy rubbed the back of her neck.

"You are all your father." Lindsay reached over and traced a finger over Lucy's chin.

"Funny, he says that I'm all you." Lucy smiled, "Which I don't mind."

"You've grown up far too fast." Lindsay squeezed her daughter's hand on the center console.

"Mom, you can't lose me." Lucy reassured her, "So, I'm graduating in a month and leaving for Montana in three. We're still gonna talk and see each other. We're connected, just try to break this bond."

"I love you, Kid." Lindsay pulled over to the curb and undid her seatbelt, wrapping her daughter in a hug.

"I love you too, Mommy." Lucy whispered, "Forever and always."

**A/N: I hope it's not as awkward as it feels. Hmpf. I wanted to get it done cause Laura is leaving for Uni and I wanted to give her a piece of hope. **

**(and a special note to my own mommy, who reads everything I write: I love you, bigger, farther, stronger, longer, infinity, beyond and back and over again. And I know I have no idea). **


End file.
